LIVING IT UP
The suite life at Toyota Center is an experience unlike any other
Mar 28, 2018, 5:14 am
Getting your photo taken with Elvin Hayes? Check. Courtesy photo
Every fan should enjoy at least one game from a corporate box in their lifetime. That is the valuable lesson I learned at the Toyota Center last night as the Rockets dominated the Bulls 118-86. It was the first time I had attended a Rockets game and honestly, I was a little disappointed in the gameplay. I feel like everyone wants a great game from the sporting events they attend and well, it was a such a dominant performance by the home team that I hardly felt the need to focus on the court below. But maybe that’s a good thing. Otherwise I might not have fully enjoyed the luxuries around me.
First of all; just looking at the suite from the outside felt a little strange. It’s a very unassuming door that looks like it could be for any office in any corporate building anywhere in Houston. I had to read the number on the side of the door like I was looking for Bill Lumbergh’s office. But once I crossed the threshold; my goodness it was like I walked in late for an office party. Scant decorations, and a minimalist couch and table setup gave way to a larger wet bar area with catered food against a side wall. Let’s just say that first impressions aren’t everything.
I completed my entrance and shook hands with the kind folks who provided the tickets and off I went into the great beyond of sports watching. As I lifted my glass of whiskey and looked out at the court unobstructed I realized how great this was going to be. I saw the score and watched a couple of runs up and down the court before returning to a conversation that was easy to have without the noise of the crowd, only to be interrupted by calls to get my items from the dessert cart (of which there were many) before the lady left for the other suites. I chose a caramel toffee blondie but because of a misplaced sign had a piece of red velvet cake handed to me. It was covered so I had two desserts. Hooray for me!
I set my cake aside on the counter without worry that it would be swiped and returned to my drink, the game, and the conversations of the moment. The Rockets were holding a lead of more than 20 points. With all that was going on around me, why watch the game? It was much more fun to shake hands with Houston legend Elvin Hayes, who had just stepped into our suite for an appearance. I took pictures and said hello before he was on to his next gig, but you could feel the importance of where you were just by his presence.
Now the Rockets were pushing a 30-point lead and the wife and I headed to the seats just outside the corporate booth while we ate our fajitas and nachos. The view was amazing and because it was a suite there was a direct, unencumbered view of the court. I’ve never had seats like that at any sporting event in my life and I have sat near the sideline on more than one occasion. Even those seats had someone or something obscuring the view at least a little bit. This time there was none of that.
With the game safely in hand we returned to the suite for the final minutes. It was then that we discovered we had the opportunity to shoot a free-throw on the court after the game. I was shocked because I didn’t believe it could get any better, but it did. I signed that waiver like it was a million-dollar life insurance policy and waited eagerly for our escort. I was hoping we would get a couple of shots but hey, even one was nice. I got two anyways because I haven’t shot a basketball in a long time and my first one hit the front of the rim and bounced right back. I missed the second one too but I didn’t care, it was worth it.
I am profoundly changed as a sports fan. How can anyone watch a game any other way? Catered food: check. Great view of the game: check. Decent liquor: check. Star athlete appearances: check. Post-game free throw: check. My goal in life is now to find any way I can to be rich enough for a seat like that for every sporting event I want to see.
Or maybe I just dream about it while I sit with some of the biggest and best fans who pay whatever they can afford to cheer on their team as often as they can, having only the memory as their special perk. Yeah, I think that’s the one that excites me more.
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The phrase most associated with the late former Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis was “Just win baby.” One has to think Al would strongly approve of the Houston Astros. Going to the fifth inning Sunday against the Mariners the Astros were facing a 3-0 deficit and staring at the prospect of being swept out of Seattle and having their American League West division lead slashed to just two games. Now after roaring from behind with 11 unanswered runs to take the series finale in the Emerald City, and then sweeping three games from the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, the Astros stand six games up with 60 games to go. So, if the Astros play just .500 ball the rest of the way (which would have them finish with 90 victories), the Mariners have to play .600 ball to catch them. If somehow the Astros are to maintain their season long win pace to the finish line they’d close with 95 wins, and the race is already over unless someone thinks the M’s are poised to uncork a finishing kick of 41-19 or better. It’s quite a pleasing perch from which the Astros survey the standings. Coupled with the freefalling Detroit Tigers having dropped nine of their last ten games, the Astros amazingly start this homestand sporting the best record in the entire American League. On the homestand they follow four games against the team with the second-worst record in the American League (Athletics) with three versus the team with the second-worst record in the National League (Nationals). I know, I know. There is fear of the Astros playing down to the competition, but that is not the way to look at it. A bad Major League team can beat a good team in a series at any time. If it happens it happens, but it wouldn’t mean it happened only because the Astros didn’t take their opponent seriously. This isn’t the NBA.
Trade deadline looming
Of course, It hasn’t been all good news with Isaac Paredes badly injuring a hamstring Sunday. Paredes could be back in three weeks (doubtful), he could miss the rest of the season. GET WELL SOON JEREMY PENA! Lance McCullers’s latest Injured List stint could be considered addition by subtraction for the Astros’ starting rotation. Whether impacted by his blister issue, Lance was lousy in four of his last five starts. So, one week from the trade deadline, if general manager Dana Brown has the ammo to get one deal done, where does he make the upgrade? The left-handed hitter everyone knows the Astros can use regardless of Yordan Alvarez’s status is a natural priority. With the Astros’ weak farm system it would seem difficult for Brown to put forth the winning offer for the top bats that could be in play. That probably rings even truer now, since if he wasn’t already untouchable, Brice Matthews may have cemented untouchable status by darn near winning the first two games of the Diamondbacks series by himself. Matthews is going to struggle mightily to hit for a good average if he can’t make notable improvement in the contact department, but the power is obvious, as is the athleticism in the field. The 23-year-old Matthews and 22-year-old Cam Smith (though presently mired in a three for 36 slump) are the clear (and right now only) two young shining beacons for the lineup’s future.
You can't have enough pitching
While Brandon Walter has been a revelation, a starting pitcher would make sense unless the decision is to hope Spencer Arrighetti and/or Cristian Javier can contribute meaningfully upon return to the big leagues, likely sometime next month. Going after a reliever or two may make more sense in terms of availability and transaction cost. Overall the Astros’ bullpen has been excellent, but Bryan Abreu is the only trustworthy right-handed option for Joe Espada. Back to Walter. Barely two months ago no way Walter himself would have believed he’d be where he is now. Nine starts since being summoned basically out of desperation, Walter has a 3.35 earned run average, and a stunning 13 to one strikeout-to-walk ratio with his 52 strikeouts against a measly four walks allowed in 53 2/3 innings. Walter has pitched fabulously in seven of his nine starts. He only has two wins, but that’s because in five of the six Walter starts the Astros didn’t win the game they failed to score more than two runs. Walter turns 29 years old in September. His only prior big league experience was 23 innings in relief with a 6.26 ERA for the Red Sox two years ago. The Bosox released him last August, the Astros signed him basically as minor league depth. Look at him (and the Astros) now.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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